It’s not easy being a restaurant these days, as evidenced by the rash of recent closures and bankruptcies by casual dining chains. But Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is bucking the trend with game-day energy and accelerating its nationwide expansion.
What’s more, the Atlanta-based company refreshed its look and feel this past March, and introduced items that exemplify its Cajun roots and Southern inspiration. The revamp includes a new bar program and cocktail menu.
“We have an ambitious goal to increase beverage sales within our restaurants, and to achieve this, it’s crucial that we have the right mix of products and cocktails that appeal to our guests,” says John Hagen, Walk-On’s senior director of culinary, who oversees beverage.
“Recognizing the industry standard, where the average casual dining restaurant offers a large variety of cocktails, we’ve ensured our menu covers the essential cocktail variations and spirit types,” he says. “We’re also innovating to meet guests’ growing expectations as they seek more complex drinks with unique and trending flavors.”
Spicing up the bar
After careful review of its lineup, Walk-On’s deleted four underperforming cocktails and added six new drinks. “Notably, we’ve updated the spicy Margarita, and incorporated mango, a trending favorite flavor,” Hagen says. The drink combines Espolon reposado tequila, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur, mango puree, fresh lime, agave, and a Tajin spice rim.
“And, in line with the rise of classic cocktails, we’re seeing a resurgence of Martinis, particularly with the ‘Team Mom’ demographic,” he adds. The Lemon Drop Martini and Espresso Martini are leading the charge with fresh, nostalgic twists on ’90s favorites, he notes.
The new Praline Espresso Martini has a unique flavor profile, “one we are proud to tie back to our New Orleans roots,” Hagen says. It features Wheatley vodka, Owens Espresso Martini mix, Mr. Black liqueur, Evangeline’s praline liqueur and a cinnamon and sugar floater.
Other new cocktails include the O-Line, made with blood orange-infused ginger beer, blood orange sour and Tito’s vodka; the Watermelon Margarita (Red Bull watermelon, Lunazul blanco tequila and lime and agave nectar); the Strawberry Lemon Drop Martini (Deep Eddy lemon vodka, Cointreau, strawberry and lemon nectar); and Eye of the Hurricane (Bacardi Superior rum, Crown Royal Regal Apple whiskey and passion fruit puree). Drink prices range from $12 to $14.
The chain has also rolled out a standardized backbar program that includes spirits outside of the specialty cocktails, with a focus on high-velocity bottles that consistently deplete in its system, Hagen adds.
“This approach enables us to feature seasonal [limited-time offers] without the need for an overwhelming number of new products, all while keeping a tight grip on the cost of goods and a core of high-velocity products.” Some of the fast-moving spirit brands at Walk-On’s include Tito’s, Maker’s Mark and Casamigos.
Better wines and brews
Not surprisingly, Hagen says that beer and cocktails drive alcohol sales at Walk-On’s, comprising more than 80% of the beverage sales. The company has elevated the wine program to better appeal to the Team Mom guest demographic, however.
“We have a selection of quality wines including cabs, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio and chardonnay that exceed what you may expect from a sports bar,” says Hagen.
Wines on the list include Meiomi pinot noir, Bonanza cabernet and Kim Crawford sauvignon blanc. “We also have offerings starting at $8 a glass, which is highly competitive for our competitive set,” he notes.
For beers, Walk-On’s stocks fan favorites such as Michelob, Budweiser, and Miller Lite, as well as craftier brands like Abita, Dos Equis, Sam Adams, Yuengling and Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA.
“Although the number of taps vary by location, we wanted to mandate a set number of high-volume movers while leaving certain taps open for regional drafts as well,” says Hagen. “This approach creates consistency across our bar program.”
Team players
LSU walk-on basketball players Brandon Landry and Jack Warner opened the first Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux in 2003 in Baton Rouge, LA. They initially sketched out their concept for a sports bar — one offering scratch-made dishes paired with unique cocktails and beers — on the back of a beverage napkin.
NFL All-Pro quarterback Drew Brees joined the Walk-On’s team as co-owner in 2015. Franchise partners include Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks and football coach Dabo Swinne.
Walk-On’s, which had scored a strategic investment from private equity firm 10 Point Capital in 2020, promoted chief financial officer Chris Porcelli to CEO this past September. In addition to the updated menu, he’s charged with overseeing the rollout of a new restaurant format featuring a smaller footprint, upgraded technology and enhanced guest experience.
With nearly 80 locations in 15 states, “we have restaurants with bars that come in different shapes and sizes,” Hagen notes. The chain, which last year moved its headquarters to Atlanta, in April opened a location in Cape Coral, FL, the seventh Walk-On’s in Florida.
Menu makeover
“Our menu reflects our brand’s story, values and culinary passion,” Hagen says. With this in mind, “we wanted to deliver a new menu that looks and feels different with a new design, fonts, textures, descriptions and fresh, revamped items.”
Through extensive data analysis and research, the company deleted some underperforming items and added offerings that will increase its reach and satisfaction to current and future guests. Walk-On’s menu now lists a few of its standout creations as All-Star items that reflect the best of the brand.
“Those include items like our Mozzarella Logs — our bestselling menu item, our new Ribeye Sliders and our fan-favorite Boom Boom Shrimp Tacos,” says Hagen. New offerings include Pepperjack Boudin, Devils on Horseback and Mardi Gras Salmon.
Along with the same techniques Walk-On’s used on the front of the menu, such as new fonts, sharpened color and callouts to signature items, the company created three sections to showcase its featured cocktails on the back.
“We now list them as The Signatures, which are our unique cocktails,” Hagen says. “We have The Classics, which is our take on Classic Cocktails like our infamous Mad Mary. And finally, we have Margaritas featuring a top-shelf option with Don Julio, the Spicy Mango Margarita and Red Bull Watermelon Margarita.”
The improvements have resonated with guests, particularly the new cocktails. In the first two weeks from the launch, “we sold more than 25,000 of our new signature cocktails,” he says. The Strawberry Lemon Drop Martini sold more than twice as many as the previous best-selling cocktail.
“At the end of the day, our goal is always to increase the quality and consistency, while focusing on providing guests with options that everyone can enjoy,” says Hagan. “With these carefully considered adjustments, we’re setting ourselves up to hit our sales goals and deliver an exceptional guest experience.” •
